Restart Game: The UBA League brings an exciting new avenue for Indian Basketball

Without a professional basketball league, basketball hasn’t received the media and mainstream visibility it deserves, and the financial growth of the sport has suffered as a result. But perhaps, there is a chance to try again, to give the sport the boost it needs from a different angle. And through the early steps of their basketball league, the Universal Basketball Alliance (UBA India) is trying to do just that.

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UBA holds selection trials for second season of their basketball league in Bengaluru

Last summer, the Universal Basketball Alliance of India (UBA India) introduced a unique new competition to the annual Indian basketball calendar. For two weeks in July, UBA brought together eight different teams representing major Indian cities to Hyderabad for a short-term basketball league. Although the first-of-its-kind experiment didn't attract India's cream of the crop basketball talent, it provided a strong alternative for hoop hopefuls looking for a payday in a country that still doesn't have a full-size national professional basketball league.

Boosted by the success of its first season, UBA are now set to launch Season 2 of their basketball league on February 18. In preparation for the second season, UBA held selection tryouts at the Jain International Residential School in Bengaluru earlier this week with 195 young players from all over India to form new squads before the league tips off.

Foreign trainers from the US, along with highly respected senior Indian coaches, evaluated the players on a number of parameters by putting them through a series of gruelling sessions. After selection trials in Bengaluru, this year's UBA Basketball League will be divided into two phases of games, in Pune and Hyderabad. The newly formed squads will travel to Pune for the first phase of the Pro League, to be held at the Chhattrapati Shivaji sports complex in Balewadi from February 18-28. The second & final phase will be held at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad between March 21 - April 3. UBA Season 2 will be telecast live on Ten Sports, another first in the history of Indian basketball.

Having the league in two phases allows more fans to witness the star players in action, and also gives teams time to prepare and strategise for the second phase. The eight teams from last year— Pune Peshwas, Hyderabad Sky, Chennai Slam (the reigning champions from the 2015 season) Punjab Steelers, Bengaluru Beast, Delhi Capitals, Haryana Gold and Mumbai Challengers— are back again this time around. The teams will be divided into North and South divisions, and each team will play four games: three against their division opponents and one cross-division match.

"Season 1 was about exploring possibilities and seeing what we could do to create opportunities for players," said UBA India Director Deepesh Solanki. "Now that a platform has been built, the next step is to successfully implement what we have planned."

"We are happy to see that kids are finally dreaming of being pros and having their own Indian basketball heroes to look up to. Instead of following Lebron they will now start idolising Jagdeep Singh Bains."

Bains, a former India star and mentor to Satnam Singh, was among the nine Indian players last year taken to Phoenix, Arizona in the USA by UBA India for a special basketball and fitness training programme.

The 195 players fought for 90 spots in the eight city-based teams for the league. "We have decided to reopen all the spots on the eight teams to give a fair chance to every athlete and for the coaches to take a good look at them." said Solanki, "We have been getting flooded with requests from players to join the tryouts— over 400 calls — but we could admit only around 200."

The coaches of last year’s finalist teams, Pune Peshwas and Chennai Slam, have been retained, and six new coaches for the remaining franchises will be hired. Prasanna Jayasankar, Shiba Maggon, Anthony PC, CV Sunny and Sunny Thomas are few of the respected Indian coaches roped in as part of the long term player development programmes, to ensure players are in top shape from one season to next.

"In my experience of over 30 years in basketball, this is the first time open tryouts have been held," said Jayasankar, a former Indian women’s team captain and longstanding coach, "All the boys are getting good opportunity. Anybody can come and give their best. From Indian players, to school kids, all are participating."

With the league now spreading to two cities and held over a total course of three weeks, UBA India has taken small but positive steps forward to expand their presence in Indian basketball. While Bains seems to be the marquee name in the league this time around, there is still a chance that bigger Indian stars will sign up to test their talent as the league gains traction and grows bigger. A few current and former Indian national players like Ajay Pratap Singh have already signed on for Season 2, and many more names could be revealed soon. A couple of Indian-origin players from abroad have also seen this as a boon to return to their ancestral homeland and participate in the growth of basketball here.

Let's be real, Indian kids are never going to idolise Jagdeep Singh Bains instead of LeBron James as Solanki suggested, but now, especially if the league receives good media and Ten Sports broadcast coverage, there is a chance that both of them can be idolised together!

UBA takes nine Indian basketball players to USA for special training

Earlier this year, the Universal Basketball Alliance (UBA) of India launched their first two-week professional basketball league in India. The league featured eight participating teams representing different Indian cities and games were played in Hyderabad in July. Although the league featured some high-level Indian basketball talent, only a small handful of players were among India's elite or in contention for India's national teams. Chennai Slam won the inaugural event with a final victory over Pune. UBA are also the organizers of India's Men's National University Basketball Tournament.

Now, the UBA is on a quest to help its top players get even better, and in the process shed further light on their efforts to promote their basketball events in India. The UBA has chosen nine Indian players - eight of whom played in the inaugural season of the 2015 UBA Basketball League - to take to Phoenix, Arizona, in the USA for special basketball and fitness training and the opportunity to watch an NBA game in person.

The nine Indian players are currently training at the Kiwanis Recreation Centre, Tempe in Phoenix. They have been provided specially designed professional basketball workout programmes with scouts in attendance. Among the eight veterans of the inaugural UBA pro league earlier this year are India's international player Gurvinder Singh Gill and 2015 UBA Basketball League MVP Ravi Bhardwaj. Although he didn't play in the first season of the league, Punjab and international Indian team veteran Jagdeep Singh Bains is the ninth member of the travelling contingent to train America.

Participating Players

• Jagdeep Singh Bains (Punjab, Senior India International)
  
• Gurvinder Singh Gill (Punjab Steelers, Current Senior India)
  
• Ravi Bhardwaj (Punjab Steelers, MVP)
  
• Sartaj Singh (Punjab Steelers)
  
• Yudhvir Singh (Delhi Capitals)
  
• Vijay (Pune Peshwas)
  
• Ramkumar (Chennai Slam)
  
• Kaife Azam Zia (Bengaluru Beast)
  
• Ajinkya Mehta (Pune Peshwas)
  

Deepesh Solanki, the CEO of UBA India, who is personally accompanying the contingent said, "This programme has been specially designed by professional coaches for our players. Scouts have been invited as well and we are confident that this initiative will re-energize and transform the performance of these elite talents going into season 2 of the UBA India Pro Basketball League."

The players have been taking part in as many as four daily sessions that included basketball practices, strength and conditioning workouts, and physiotherapy. On Sunday, November 15, they got a chance to watch in person their first NBA game at Phoenix's Talking Stick Resort Arena, which the home team Phoenix Suns won 105-81 over the visiting Denver Nuggets.

UBA Professional basketball league tips off in Hyderabad with home side starting on winning ways

The most eye-catching thing about the 2015 UBA Basketball League - the first iteration of a two-week national professional basketball league in India - are the team names. Nothing makes basketball fans giddier than seeing their home teams - or other teams in their country - represented like professional franchises, with nicknames, logos, attractive jerseys, banners on the rafters, and more. As the first day of this novel league tipped off at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday, July 17, it was this fanfare and the celebrity attendance that started the show. But ultimately, the show was stolen by the main event: the exciting basketball players in attendance providing high-quality hoops action for the fans on court.

Photo courtesy: Ekalavyas

On the first day of this league, which features eight teams from around the country, hosts Hyderabad Sky and the Pune Peshwas got off to winning ways.

The Universal Basketball Alliance - UBA India - have launched this league to be held in Hyderabad from July 17 to July 30, set to be held on a league-cum-knockout basis. The eight participating franchises are: Pune Peshwas, Delhi Capitals, Haryana Gold, Punjab Steelers, Chennai Slam, Mumbai Challengers, Bengaluru Beast, and Hyderabad Sky.

“This is the first time in India’s basketball history that a pro league is being organised,” said UBA India Director Deepesh Solanki. “Our main focus is infrastructure. Athletes should feel like pros.” Hindi Film actor Anjana Sukhani was the celebrity guest on the opening day and she wished both all participating teams the very best. “I’m so happy that someone has taken the initiative to bring out the talent that this country has.” she said.

In the league's opening game, Pune survived a strong effort from the Bengaluru Beast and their star point-guard, TJ Sahi. Sahi - a former national team star - is the most recognizable name in this league and scored a game-high 32 points in his debut for the Beast. But it was Pune's forward duo of P Vijay and Arjun Mehta who scored 23 points each to stay competitive against the stacked Bengaluru squad and stretch the lead out to double digits in the third quarter. A last gasp effort from Bengaluru wasn't enough and Pune earned a surprising victory, 88-81. Bengaluru's Chetan Suresh scored 16 in the loss.

Hosts Hyderabad won in a thrilling opening encounter against the Chennai Slam. At one point, Hyderabad looked comfortable and fully in control of proceedings, leading 36-22 at halftime and giving the home fans a lot to cheer about. But Chennai grabbed momentum in the second half and made a furious comeback. Unfortunately, they fell short, and when time expired, Hyderabad survived to win 65-61. Nihal Yadav (19) and Sujith Reddy (16) were Hyderabad's high scorers in the win.

Scoreboard

• Pune Peshwas (P Vijay 23, Arjun Mehta 23) bt Bengaluru Beast (TJ Sahi 32, Chetan Suresh 16) 88-81 [19-18, 23-17, 29-25, 17-21].
  
• Hyderabad Sky (Nihal Yadav 19, Sujith Reddy 16, Liju Abraham 15) bt Chennai Slam (Agu 14, Vicky 14) 65-61 [18-9, 18-13, 19-22, 10-17].
  

Find the full schedule of the league on UBA India's website.